Tapioca is a starch extracted from the cassava root. Tapioca pudding is a quick and easy dessert that can be made in 30 minutes in an instant pot. This 3-ingredient dessert is absolutely creamy and delicious.
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What is tapioca pudding made of?
Tapioca pudding is made with only 3 ingredients. This tapioca pudding recipe is made without eggs. It is made with whole milk, sugar, and tapioca pudding.
Tapioca pearls come in various sizes. I have used the medium-sized tapioca pearls for this recipe which are about 4-5 mm in diameter.
You can also add a flavoring of your choices like vanilla, nutmeg, or saffron, and cardamom powder to make it an Indian-style sabudana kheer.
How to make vegan tapioca pudding?
To make vegan tapioca pudding, you can use plant-based milk like coconut milk.
Is tapioca pudding gluten-free?
Yes! Tapioca pudding a gluten-free as tapioca is made from cassava root which is gluten-free.
What flavor is tapioca pudding?
Tapioca pudding tastes great just plain. However, you can add vanilla extract for flavor. You can also top it with some nutmeg powder.
Fruits flavors can be added to the pudding by adding fruit pulp like mango, banana, strawberry, or blueberry.
It is very easy to make Indian flavored sabudana kheer by adding a few strands of saffron, some cardamom powder, and sliced pistachios.
How to make tapioca pudding in instant pot?
Making tapioca pudding in the instant pot is very easy and it can be made in just about 30 minutes from start to finish.
Place all the ingredients - tapioca pearls, milk, and sugar in the instant pot liner. Cook it on high-pressure mode for 10 minutes and then allow the pressure to release naturally.
Once you open the lid, the pearls would have grown in size, look translucent, and be soft in texture. This means that the pudding has been well cooked.
The pudding will thicken as it cools down. You can always add some milk if you want to adjust the consistency.
How to serve tapioca pudding?
Tapioca pudding tastes great when served warm or chilled. You can top it with your favorite fruits or puree, or just sprinkle some nutmeg powder.
How to store tapioca pudding?
Tapioca pudding stores well in the fridge for 4-5 days. When you are ready to eat, you can reheat it in the microwave. The pudding thickens as it cools down, so if you prefer, you can add some milk to adjust the consistency.
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Tapioca Pudding
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Tapioca pearls (size of 4-5 mm diameter)
- 5 cup Milk (whole)
- ¾ cup Organic cane sugar
Instructions
- Add tapioca pearls, milk, and sugar to the instant pot liner.
- Mix it with a spatula.
- Close and lock the lid with pressure knob in sealing position.
- Select and cook on the high-pressure mode for 10 minutes followed by natural pressure release.
- Allow the pudding to cool down, it will thicken as it cools down.
Pot in pot method for small batch - See notes
Watch Video
Notes
- This recipe has been tested and works well on 3 qt and 6 qt instant pots with the same quantity of ingredients and time.
- You can add ¼ to ½ teaspoon vanilla extract after the pudding is cooked and has cooled down a little.
- It is best to add fruits/pulp after the pudding has cooled down.
- To make it vegan, you can use coconut milk or almond milk. If you use a sweetened version, then you can reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe.
- Pour 1 cup of water (or more for larger pots) into the instant pot liner.
- In a small stainless steel bowl add ½ cup of tapioca pearls, 2 ½ cup milk, 6 tablespoon sugar, and mix well.
- Place the bowl in the instant pot liner on a trivet.
- Cover the small pot with a lid.
- Close and lock the instant pot lid with the valve in the sealing position.
- Pressure cook on high-pressure mode for 30 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release for 10 minutes and then release the remaining pressure manually.
- Mix the pudding well with a whisk to get rid of any lumps.
- Allow the pudding to cool down to thicken.
- For the pot in pot method - ensure you fill only half of the small pot to avoid any spillage.
Dianna says
Burn notice… ugh. Tastes good, but the tapioca pearls are not as soft as they should be.
Is it possible that my instapot needs to be used at a lower heat setting?
I really want this to work. My family loves tapioca!
Alpa Jain says
Hi Dianna,
I am sorry you got the burn message. I am really surprised why it works for some and why some get the burn message. I am not sure if the low heat setting will help, you can try that. It might take longer for the tapioca to cook though. You can also try if the porridge setting works for you. I have never got the burn message so it is difficult for me to say if that will help or not.
Regards
Alpa
Pat Hawn says
The recipe looks good and easy, however, we got the burn notice before it even came up to pressure. Wdid a quick release when we got the BURN notice. Using an Instant Pot 6 quart Duo.
Is it safe to eat? The consistency is exactly what I remember my mom's tapioca pudding to be.
Alpa Jain says
Hi Pat,
Sorry to hear that you got the burn notice. If the tapioca is cooked you can still have it, just avoid scraping from the bottom of the pot.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Alpa
Pat Hawn says
We ate it anyway, but about a third was stuck to the bottom of the inner pot. Do you think it would work if I did it "pot in pot?"
Alpa Jain says
Hi Pat,
Did you make the full recipe or reduce it while cooking in the 6 qt? The pot in pot method should work, I have not tried it yet. The recipe would have to be halved for a 6 qt pot in pot method. The timing might increase as well. I am going to try it out sometime and update the post with details.
Regards
Alpa
Mike says
Easy & quick
Alpa Jain says
Hi Mike,
Thankyou for the feedback 🙂
Regards
Alpa
Mary Ann says
What type tapioca do you use? I see minute tapioca and regular. Thanks
Alpa Jain says
Hi Mary,
You will need the regular tapioca pearls, I use the 4-5 mm size ones. Smaller ones will work too. However, the minute tapioca will not work with this recipe.
Regards
Alpa
Becky says
Is this made without soaking the pearls overnight?
Alpa Jain says
Hi Becky
Yes, there is no need to soak the pearls.
Regards
Alpa
hayden says
I have a question for substitutes. My family and I have to keep an eye on sugar as we have a great chance in getting diabetes. What could I use as a substitute from cane sugar? We also tried to avoid the fake sugars as they're just as bad if not worse for you than regular cane sugar.
Alpa Jain says
Hi Hayden,
One of the readers has made it successfully with coconut sugar. Does that help?
Regards
Alpa
Lesa says
Monk fruit with erythritol by Lankato. It’s amazing and both are natural. Zero calories.
Mooselady says
You were right - stevia makes this incredibly sticky and burns on the bottom.
I made in a 3qt inst pot using whole milk, small pearl tapioca but used 1/2 c stevia/monk fruit sweetner instead of 3/4 c sugar. I ended up with a soupy top layer and a rubbery tapioca bottom layer and the dreaded BURN NOTICE. I used an immersion blender to blend the two “layers”, careful not to blend up the bottom burned part. Everything thickened really well and tastes great! I love a happy ending!
Suzie Henderson says
I have made this twice and it never has thickened up. It is a tasty tapioca soup. Any ideas why? Any suggestions to make it work? I used Large pearls, 5 cups of whole milk. Thought it was too sweet with 3/4 cup sugar and reduced to 1/2 cup for the second try. First time I took it off the "Keep Warm" setting. The second time I left the keep warm function "on". No difference. Still soup.
Alpa Jain says
Hi Suzie,
How was the consistency once it cooled down? It will thicken as it cools down, you can refrigerate it once it cools to get a thicker consistency.
If, after cooling down it is still not of your desired consistency then you can add a little more tapioca next time to the recipe, I would say about 1/4 - 1/3 cup.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Alpa
Debbie Ski says
I, too, just made it and it doesn't seem to be thickening up. After reading the comment I added an additional 1/4 to 1/2 cup of pearls at the start and it still looks like soup. Seriously considering putting it in a pot with a cornstarch slurry. I'm giving it another 30 minutes, then putting it in the pot.
Alpa Jain says
Hi Debbie,
Please allow it to cool down completely. It starts thickening as it cools down.
Let me know how it is once it is completely cooled.
Regards
Alpa
Christina says
all my recipes for tapioca call for egg. why does this one not. will to thicken they way one will cooked on the stove with egg.
Alpa Jain says
Hi Christina,
I have always made tapioca pudding without eggs as I am a vegetarian. This recipe makes a creamy pudding and it thickens as it cools down.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Alpa
Debra Gann says
Could this be made with Stevia or Spenda?
Alpa Jain says
Hi Debra,
If you don’t add sugar while cooking a pudding then it does stick to the bottom of instant pot liner. You can try cooking it with Splenda or stevia but it might stick a little bit.
Regards
Alpa
Shirley says
I only use non-fat milk Would this work?
Alpa Jain says
Hi Shirley
Yes it will work. It might not thicken as much as with the full fat milk.
Hope this helps
Regards
Alpa
Elizabeth says
Hi. I only have small pearl tapioca. Would the measurements be the same?
Alpa Jain says
Hi Elizabeth,
Yes, you can keep all the measurements the same. Small pearls will cook faster, so doing about 7 minutes of high pressure should be good.
Regards
Alpa
Josh says
I want to try this but only have an 8 quart IP. Do you have a recipe that will work for that?
Alpa Jain says
Hi Josh,
I have tried this recipe with 3 and 6 qt instant pot and it works perfectly fine. I do not have an 8 qt, but I am thinking that doing at least 1.5 times the quantity should work. Doing a less quantity in the 8 qt. might give a burn message. Ideally, you need the level to be at least 2.5 - 3 inches.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Alpa
Janice says
How much vanilla or any other flavoring should be used? Can this be made in a 6-qt?
Alpa Jain says
Hi Janice,
Yes, I have tried this in the 6 qt. and it works well. You can add 1/4 tsp - 1/2 tsp or more vanilla extract after it has cooled down a bit.
Hope this helps
Regards,
Alpa
Judy says
Would the cooking time be the same in a 6 qt IP?
Alpa Jain says
Hi Judy
Yes, the cooking time would be the same.
Regards
Alpa
Tina says
I got a burn notice. Has anyone else had this happen? It was good, except for the bottom 1/4 inch.
Alpa Jain says
Hi Tina,
Can you please let me know what size instant pot you have used? I have always used a 3 qt for puddings and never got a burn message ever.
I have also tested this with 6 qt and it works equally well.
Regards
Alpa
Karen says
I also got a burn notice. I made half the recipe in a 6 quart. I threw it all out although only the bottom was burned.
Alpa Jain says
Hi Karen,
Sorry to hear that you got the burn message. It is most probably due to reducing the quantity to half. Cooking less amount of food in a larger instant pot can cause the burn message. I have tested this recipe many times in 3 and 6 qt and it has worked fine for me.
Regards
Alpa
Karen says
So right Alpa! I made the full recipe today with coconut milk and coconut sugar and it turned out perfectly! It was a very thick pudding immediately upon taking it out of the instant pot. Thanks!!!
Alpa Jain says
Hi Karen,
Glad to know it turned out perfect 🙂
Regards
Alpa
Lori says
Do you need water for Pressure?
Alpa Jain says
Hi Lori,
There is no need to add water.
Regards
Alpa
Janet says
hi! can't wait to try this. would i add flavoring/pulp prior to cooking or after? thank you.
Alpa Jain says
Hi Janet,
It is best to add the fruit/pulp after cooking.
Hope this helps
Regards
Alpa
Karen says
What about non dairy milk like almond and the nutritional chart , what serving is that. Thank you. I’m going to make this
Alpa Jain says
Hi Karen,
You can make it with almond milk. I did calculate the nutritional chart and it is similar to the one I have posted. The only significant difference was the sodium amount, which was 3 times.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Claudia says
Wondering if this can be made with 1% milk. Thanks.
Alpa Jain says
Yes, you can make it with 1% milk.
Rob chad says
What do you think about oatmilk as a vegan substitute?
Alpa Jain says
Hi Claudia,
I have personally not tried with oatmilk. However, some readers have successfully made it with almond milk and coconut milk. So I see no reason why it will not work with oatmilk.
Regards
Alpa